One Of Those Nights
by Liv1701
Summary: While Giles takes care of Buffy after a rough patrol, she starts to see him in a different light.


It was one of those nights. Everything seemed to be piling up on Buffy more than usual. School work, demons, training, social pressures, and now an unexpectedly large and feisty gang of vampires. Even her trademark wit was lacking tonight, and she battled the vamps without even an attempt at banter. When the last of them had been dusted, Buffy was in bad shape. She was bruised from head to toe, bleeding from her knuckles and forehead, and she had twisted her ankle in a badly placed kick. She couldn't risk her mom seeing her in this condition, and the high school was closer anyway, so Buffy made her way to the library, where she knew Giles would still be buried in research.

No sooner had she entered the library than Giles was on his feet and rushing toward her with a cry of, "Buffy!"

"I'm okay," said Buffy with a wince.

Giles put a supportive arm around her shoulders and she let out a quiet hiss from the pain of the bruise he'd touched. He jumped back at that and she limped forward on her own for a few steps. Then suddenly her breath caught as he came up behind her, bent down close with a gentle hand on her back.

"I'm going to pick you up now," he said.

Too surprised and tired to argue, Buffy was silent as Giles scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his office. He placed her gently in his chair and reached for the first aid kit. She watched him curiously for a moment as a strange feeling stirred inside her. He sat across from her and started applying ointment to the cut on her forehead. It stung, bringing her back to her senses.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Giles," she said, pouting. "I just let them walk all over me."

"How many were there?" he asked.

"Five."

"Did any of them get away?"

"No," said Buffy somewhat haughtily, her pout becoming more pronounced.

Giles fixed her with a look. "Buffy, taking on five vampires at once and getting out of there alive without letting any escape is an impressive feat for any slayer. Don't be so hard on yourself."

When Giles had finished tending to her forehead, he took both of Buffy's hands in one of his and started to clean the blood from her knuckles. His hand felt warm and strong and Buffy started to feel more relaxed. He wrapped some gauze around her hands and sat back.

"Prop your leg up here," he said, indicating to his knee.

Buffy lifted her leg and rested her heel on his knee. He pushed back her pant leg to examine her ankle and touched it tenderly to assess the severity of the injury.

"You should get some ice on it," said Giles, "but with your slayer healing powers it should be good as new by morning. I'll drive you home."

With a warm smile, he stood and offered her his hand. She took it and rose gingerly to her feet. But instead of turning to leave, she covered Giles' hand with both of hers and held his gaze.

On matters of destiny and responsibility, Buffy had the ability to transcend a high school mentality and access wisdom and perspective beyond her years. But on the subject of guys, her mindset had always been that of an average teenager, with the possible exception of one very old but still youthful looking vampire. Older men were set in her mind into rigid categories of either authority figures or people she had and wanted nothing to do with.

On some level, Buffy had always known that Giles was handsome, but she had never actively observed his strong features, the curve of his lips, or the beauty of his eyes. Really, his eyes were the most breathtaking she had ever seen. Bright green, with a spot of golden brown in the right eye, containing depth and sincerity that let you know immediately that this was a man you could count on.

Buffy smiled up at him and ran her thumb affectionately over the back of his hand.

"Thank you, Giles," she said. There was much more in her heart that she wanted to say, but she couldn't even explain it in her own mind, much less sort out how much of it she should confess.

His eyes were bright as he looked at her. Emotions that she couldn't identify stirred in their green depths. He smiled.

"Any time," he said quietly, and reached up to brush her cheek with his thumb.

Buffy's eyes closed for a moment and she leaned ever so slightly into the touch. Then suddenly Giles withdrew, and for a moment Buffy thought she saw a guilty expression cross his face.

"Come on," he said, "we'd better get you home now. It's late."

"Giles..." Buffy began without knowing what she wanted to say.

"We don't want your mother to worry, and you need to rest and recover from your injuries."

She expected him to offer to help her walk, but he simply turned and left the office. She followed slowly, wincing at every other step. He looked back at her, and after a moment of apparent internal debate went back and stood beside her.

"Lean on me," he instructed.

She did so, wrapping one arm around his waist. He put his arm around her back, and as the pair made their way out of the school Buffy wondered at the unexpected feelings now inspired in her by her Watcher.

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